A note on strong Jordan separation (Q2271360)

In a previous paper [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 73, No. 3, 681-700 (2006; Zbl 1167.53039)], the author established a result which he termed strong Jordan separation. This was a version of Jordan separation which applied to maps \(f:S^n\rightarrow S^{n+1}\) which are not assumed to be injective. Under some mild hypothesis, one could nevertheless ensure that the image separated \(S^{n+1}\), and that any continuous extension \(F:\mathbb{D}^{n+1}\rightarrow S^{n+1}\) surjects onto one of the connected components of \(S^{n+1}-f(S^n)\). In the present note the author extends his result to the broadest possible setting, by establishing the following two results: Theorem 1. Let \(X\) be a compact topological space, \(f:X\rightarrow S^{n+1}\) a continuous map, and \(U\subset X\) an open subset homeomorphic to an open \(n\)-disk \(\mathbb{D}^n_{\circ}\). Assume that {\parindent4mm \begin{itemize}\item[{\(\bullet\)}] the map \(f:X\rightarrow S^{n+1}\) contains \(U\) in its set of injectivity (i.e. \(U\subset \text{Inj}(f):=\{x\in X\mid f^{-1}(x)=x\}\)), and \item[{\(\bullet\)}] the map \(\check{H}^n(X;\mathbb{Z}_2)\rightarrow \check{H}^n(X-U;\mathbb{Z}_2)\) on Čech cohomology groups induced by the inclusion \(X-U\hookrightarrow X\) has a non-trivial kernel. \end{itemize}} Then \(f(X)\) separates \(S^{n+1}\) into at least two connected components. Furthermore, there are precisely two connected components \(V_1,V_2\) of \(S^{n+1}-f(X)\) having the property that their closure \(\overline{V}_i\) intersects \(f(U)\). In fact, for these two connected components, we have containments \(f(U)\subset \overline{V}_i\). (In Theorem 1, one should think of the sets \(V_1,V_2\) as corresponding locally to the two ``sides'' of \(f(U)\cong \mathbb{D}^n_{\circ}\) in the ambient \(S^{n+1}\).) Theorem 2. Under the hypotheses of the previous theorem, let us further assume that \(X\) is a closed subspace of an ambient topological space \(\widehat{X}\). Define two subgroups of \(H_n(X;\mathbb{Z}_2)\) by: {\parindent4mm \begin{itemize}\item[{\(\bullet\)}] \(K=\ker(H_n(X;\mathbb{Z}_2)\rightarrow H_n(\widehat{X};\mathbb{Z}_2))\), and \item[{\(\bullet\)}] \(J=\text{im}(H_n(X-U;\mathbb{Z}_2)\rightarrow H_n(X;\mathbb{Z}_2))\), \end{itemize}} where both maps are induced by the corresponding inclusions of spaces. If \(K\nsubseteq J\), then we have that for any continuous extension \(F:\widehat{X}\rightarrow S^{n+1}\), \(F\) surjects onto one of the two components \(V_i\). The author also discusses some specific examples covered by the two theorems.